Fantasy Football Info For Serious Players
| ||||
|
|
Login / Signup |
|
 |
Pre · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · P1 · P2 · P3 · P4 |
This article is a weekly look at player generally ranked outside the realm of your week-to-week starters. The players covered here generally fall into two categories: those with a good matchup or those who have an increased opportunity to produce because of an injury. On the other hand, sometimes a player may be considered if they are normal a starter, but have a bad matchup. Each position is covered in descending order by their groupings; beginning with the players who represent the best sleepers to those who are more or less gambles and finishing with those who are certifiable reaches. Your mileage may vary, but the idea is to discuss these players and provide you with some analysis that might help you make those difficult lineup decisions a bit easier. Good luck and always keep in mind that your feedback and comments are welcome. Quarterback Prime Cut (Great matchup, strong sleeper)
- Rex Grossman threw for 262 yards against Green Bay last week completing 18-of-26 with a TD and an interception. Brees is better than Grossman, but it’s questionable whether the Saints WR corps is as good as the Bears now. Brees should throw for around 200 yards and get into the end zone at least once. His best receiver is Reggie Bush, but if he can get Joe Horn going this week then the Saints will roll against the Packers secondary.
- Brunell had two of his best performances last year against Dallas. He threw for 291 yards and 2 TDs and ran for another 35 yards in week 2 of 2005. In week 15, Brunell threw for just 164 yards but he had 4 TDs against the Cowboys. In 2004, Brunell played Dallas only once but he made it count with 325 yards and 2 TDs – by far his best game of that season. It’s safe to say that Brunell likes to play Dallas. The Cowboys allowed 237 yards and a TD to Byron Leftwich last week and Brunell looks like a great play – at least on paper - for this week.
- Pennington was a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners and Jets fans in week one. The Patriots were the 5th best matchup for QBs a year ago. Even J.P. Losman was able to complete 15-of-23 for 164 yards against the Patriots last week. The Patriots are tougher than the Titans, but Pennington should still be productive enough to warrant a start in deeper leagues – and even smaller ones if you’ve lost faith in the QB you drafted to start (Bledsoe, Brooks, Simms, Delhomme, Plummer, etc). Worth a Gamble (Good matchup, solid sleeper)
- Daunte Culpepper completed 18-of-37 for 262 yards at Pittsburgh last week. He fell apart in the second half and wound up throwing two interceptions as the Steelers pass rush gained momentum late in the game. This week, Leftwich has the benefit of playing at home (and not in Pittsburgh where the defense feeds off the home crowd energy). Leftwich completed 23-of-34 for 237 against Dallas with a TD and an interception last week. He will be under heavy fire from the Steelers pass rush, but even more so than Culpepper perhaps, Leftwich has the three huge targets that could help him beat those blitzes and possibly create some big plays over the top.
- McNair performed well on the road against a tough Bucs defense last week. Back in the nest, the Ravens and McNair should be even more productive this week. The Raiders only “allowed” 108 passing yards and a TD to San Diego. Certainly, the same danger exists with McNair in this game. If the Ravens defense owns the Raiders anything close to the way the Chargers pushed them around on Monday, then McNair may not be throwing enough to be useful. It’s a great matchup, but the risk is whether that matchup will materialize if the Ravens run the ball, control the clock and play great defense.
- Rivers didn’t need to throw many passes last week for the Chargers to crush the Raiders. That maybe his biggest risk as a fantasy QB this week, too. The Chargers defense could have a field day against Kerry Collins after sacking Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter 9 times on MNF. Marty Schottenheimer may take more chances early in this game, but don’t expect him to get too crazy. He knows the strength of this team and will play to it’s favor, so don’t expect huge numbers out of Rivers, but if the Titans put up any fight, then he could produce some big plays in the air. Solid Reach (backup / situational player with upside)
- Favre played horribly last week rekindling all of the retirement talk. Favre resorted back to a common theme from last year, where he seemed to throw balls up for grabs at times rather than take a sack or throw it away. The Saints defense played well against the Browns (though they were aided by a holding call that took a 74-yard TD to Braylon Edwards off the scoreboard on the first play of the game), so maybe they’ve improved since last year. Favre should rebound with a better game this week, but there remains plenty of risk involved if you’re considering him in the starting lineup. The Saints do have a solid pass rush with two formidable edge rushers, so Favre will still be pressured frequently (just like last week) and he simply needs to make better reads, adjustments and (most importantly) more accurate throws.
- The Lions defense rolled out the welcome mat for Matt Hasselbeck last week. They greeted him several times on their way to five sacks, but he still managed to complete 25-of-30 for 210 yards. Grossman is coming off a 262 yard, 1 TD, 1 INT performance against GB last week. The Bears are at home, so the Lions defense may lose some of its bite and Grossman could have a solid week again.
- The Rams abused Jake Plummer in the season opener intercepting him three times and forcing a fumble, too. It’s hard to say if the Rams are THAT much better than last year defensively or if Plummer was simply that much worse last week - probably both. Smith got off to a quick start in his second pro season, but he probably won’t match 288 yards and 1 TD again this week. At home, Smith may be fine and the Rams are likely more vulnerable than they appeared last week. One troubling sign is that both of the 49ers starting tackles are likely to miss this game. Plummer was constantly pressured, so look for Smith to take some shots as well. If you're desperate (worth a look in deeper leagues)
- Batch performed extremely well at home against the Dolphins, but this week he and the Steelers will be dealing with a hostile crowd on the road in Jacksonville. Roethlisberger is itching to get back out there, but Batch will likely get the call for the second straight week. Drew Bledsoe threw for 246 yards and a TD in Jacksonville last week, but he also threw 3 interceptions. Batch is a risky play if you’re chasing last week’s numbers, but the Jaguars pass rush lost their best player when Reggie Hayward in.
Running Back Prime Cut (Great matchup, strong sleeper)
- Gore was a beast against the Cardinals last week whether it was his physical running or catching the ball and making big plays in the open field. The Rams defense stifled the Broncos passing game, but the Broncos had plenty of success on the ground. The Rams allowed 161 yards rushing and a TD to the Bells. Gore could be affected by the 49ers loss of two of their best offensive linemen this week, but if he stays healthy then he has the potential to disappear from this column for good and become a top 10 fantasy back.
- Oakland was the 2nd best opponent for fantasy RBs a year ago and after one week this year, they are 1st – allowing 168 yds and 2 TDs to LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner on MNF. Lewis is a great play this week, but in deeper leagues watch out for Mike Anderson, too. If Lewis is truly “back”, then he’ll top 100 yards and score in this matchup.
- One thing we know after week one is that Chester Taylor won’t fail as a fantasy back due to a lack of opportunity this year. Taylor ran 31 times for 88 yards and he caught 3 balls for another 43 yards while scoring a TD. Like Gore, he’s not much of a sleeper after producing that kind of game, but the Panthers are without Dan Morgan so Taylor could have his second big game in a row. Worth a Gamble (Good matchup, solid sleeper)
- The Redskins managed only 61 rushing yards against the Vikings on MNF and the Panthers lost Travelle Wharton (starting tackle) for the season when he tore his MCL and ACL against the Falcons. Foster gained 54 yards on 15 carries against Atlanta and he caught 4 balls for 20 yards, but failed to get into the end zone. The Vikings are certainly strong up front defensively, but Foster should still be reasonably productive and – barring injury – he’s getting the *ALL* of the touches out of the backfield if week one was a good indication of things to come. It’s a semi-tough matchup making Foster a gamble, but still a reasonably solid option.
- Ahman Green enjoyed his best game since November 2004 last week playing the Chicago Bears. Sure, the Packers were shut out but Green ran for 110 yards on 20 carries while catching three for 22 yards. Jones played well against the Seahawks, another tough defense, gaining a combined 80 yards on 14 carries and 5 receptions. Jones promises to get another big workload this week. Mike Martz expects great things from Jones this year, and while we’ve all been severely disappointed by him in the past, if he succeeds in this game, then he will become much less risky and a fixture in the starting lineup.
- The Colts run defense is missing DT Corey Simon badly. They allowed 186 yards and a TD to the Giants last week. By contrast, Lundy and the Texans RBs combined for 45 yards rushing and no TDs against Philadelphia last week. Lundy should fare better in this game, but he’ll be sharing the rock with Vernand Morency and the Colts could put them into a chase mode by the end of the 1st quarter if things get ugly quick. Lundy carried 11 times last week to Morency’s 5 – look for a similar rotation this week, but perhaps a few more carries for each back. Solid Reach (backup / situational player with upside)
- The Texans allowed 123 rushing yards to the Eagles last week – a team that doesn’t even like to run the football. The Colts don’t really like to run the ball much either and their offensive line didn’t look very good in the season opener. Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai will continue to share the load rendering each back semi-useful/semi-useless – depending on your point of view and risk assessment regarding your starting lineup and other available options at hand. Against the Texans, at least they present lower risks, and one or both backs just might be useful.
- The Chiefs allowed 103 rushing yards, 44 receiving yards and 2 TDs to the Bengals Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson last week. Tatum Bell gets the starting nod in week 2. Presumably, he’ll get a few more carries than last week, but that’s hardly a guarantee. Mike Shanahan could go with Mike Bell more if he catches his eye and plays better in his first couple of series. Take your pick either player, but know that it’s a gamble – at best – trying to predict which player will be more productive in fantasy terms. Mike Bell got the goal line carries last week and all of the receptions out of the backfield, but Tatum is the one who broke 100 yards and he gets the “start”.
- After watching Jacobs play against the Colts and during the preseason; it’s become clear (to me at least) that this guy is in store for a strong season – even if he only touches the rock 5 to 10 times a game spelling Tiki Barber. Finally, the Giants have a REAL Thunder and Lightning tandem. Maybe it was the conditioning work Jacobs turned in with Eddie George during the offseason… The dude is running downhill like a Mack truck right now. He’s better than a 50-50 chance of finding the end zone this week and probably every week moving forward.
- Watch the Patriots for a few series and it’s easy to see who their best back is on their team. Maroney is getting around half of the carries and he could be a dangerous player every week and he promises to only get better moving forward, but the Jets were stout against the run last week. Tennessee only combined for 86 yards between Chris Brown and Travis Henry, but Henry did score twice.
If you're desperate (worth a look in deeper leagues)
- Blaylock is the Jets starting tailback for now and carried the pill 19 times last week for 36 yards (compared to Barlow’s 11 carries). The Patriots allowed 99 yards rushing on 23 carries, four catches for 40 yards and a TD to the Bills last week. Blaylock should see enough touches in this game to warrant starting in deeper leagues.
- The Colts run defense is missing DT Corey Simon badly. They allowed 186 yards and a TD to the Giants last week. By contrast, Lundy and the Texans RBs combined for 45 yards rushing and no TDs against Philadelphia last week. Lundy should fare better in this game, but he’ll be sharing the rock with Vernand Morency and the Colts could put them into a chase mode by the end of the 1st quarter if things get ugly quick. Lundy carried 11 times last week to Morency’s 5 – look for a similar rotation this week, but perhaps a few more carries for each back.
Wide Receiver Prime Cut (Great matchup, strong sleeper)
- The 49ers secondary remains an excellent target for all wide receivers and shrewd fantasy owners. They allowed the most points to opposing WRs last year per game (14 receptions, 199 yards 1.1 TDs). After one week, they are #1 again (17 receptions, 261 yards and 2 TDs). Bruce was targeted 10 times last week (5-64-0). In two games against SF last year, Bruce caught 9 passes for 134 yards and a TD.
- In Steve Smith’s absence, Carter was targeted a team-high 10 times last week catching 5 for 62 yards. The Vikings defense played well last week and the Panthers offensive line is shuffled around this week. Delhomme could be in trouble. Carter is a big play receiver who can get behind defenses and he’s a big target at 6’ 3”. Smith is looking “iffy” again this week, so Carter looks like a solid play.
- Cotchery came through in a big way last week. We don’t want to go back to the well too often, but Cotchery doesn’t appear to be a fluke and he was targeted 10 times – same as Laveranues Coles and tops on the team last week. The Patriots were the second best matchup for opposing WRs a year ago, too.
- The Colts should roll in their home opener this week. Moulds was targeted 6 times – catching all of them for 68 yards and a TD last week. Most expected the addition of Moulds would free things up for Andre Johnson. That may be true, but it works both ways, too. Moulds finally has a great player opposite him for the first time in a few years. He should continue to overachieve, especially in a matchup like this. David Carr will be throwing frequently and getting sacked a lot, too. Worth a Gamble (Good matchup, solid sleeper)
- In his first NFL start, Colston was targeted 8 times (most on the team) and he caught four passes for 49 yards with a TD. The Bears receivers, not known for their outstanding WR corps, produced 151 yards and a TD last week against Green Bay. Al Harris is still a solid corner, but he’ll probably lock up with Joe Horn. The rest of the Packers secondary has been smoked numerous times during the preseason and last week – like Bernard Berrian’s 49-yard TD catch.
- Engram was the most targeted receivers on the Seahawks last week. He caught five passes on six targets for 52 yards. The Cardinals allowed 288 yards to Alex Smith. Engram has low risk, but he limited upside, aside for PPR leagues. The Seahawks didn’t produce many passing yards in their two games with Arizona last year and if they roll in this game early – then they may not be passing much again.
- Toomer was targeted 8 times against the Colts catching five balls for 41 yards. Last year, he produced 6-56-1 on 8 targets and 6-54-0 on 7 targets against the Eagles (this week’s opponent). Like Engram, Toomer is a safer pick amongst the potential sleepers, but he’s probably not going hit a home run either for you. Solid Reach (backup / situational player with upside)
- The Patriots receivers were targeted just 7 times last week (4 to Caldwell, 3 to Troy Brown, Gabriel wasn’t active). The Jets allowed 16 receptions for 209 yards to the Titans receivers (Bennett, Givens, Wade). With the Patriots WRs, it’s “take your pick” each week. Any one of these three could have a big game this week – maybe two of them. The team is looking for one of them to emerge and fill Deion Branch and David Given’s shoes. Gabriel has the most potential, especially around the red zone. Brown is old reliable. Caldwell is fast, but has always struggled to stay on the field in the past. The Jets pass defense is vulnerable, so Brady and company should have a good game.
- The Browns corners are still not healthy. Last week, rookie Marques Colston caught a TD pass in his first NFL game. Henry may go back to the slot this week if T.J. Houshmandzadeh returns. That means fewer snaps for Henry, but a better matchup and chance to score. Henry scored 6 TDs last year in 13 games.
- The matchup is excellent. Tennessee was abused by the Jets a week ago and they were the third best matchup for opposing WRs a year ago. McCardell and Parker were non-factors against the Raiders. That’s where the risk is involved by playing either of them. The Chargers defense could control the Titans. Rivers may not need to throw more than 18 passes for the second week in a row. If you gamble on either Parker or McCardell, hope they get involved early because the chances of them being factors will probably decrease decisively as the game wears on.
- The matchup is excellent. Tennessee was abused by the Jets a week ago and they were the third best matchup for opposing WRs a year ago. McCardell and Parker were non-factors against the Raiders. That’s where the risk is involved by playing either of them. The Chargers defense could control the Titans. Rivers may not need to throw more than 18 passes for the second week in a row. If you gamble on either Parker or McCardell, hope they get involved early because the chances of them being factors will probably decrease decisively as the game wears on. If you're desperate (worth a look in deeper leagues)
- Welker looked great in the first half of the Dolphins/Steelers season opener. He made several big plays with his speed and elusiveness. He was targeted 8 times and caught 4 passes for 67 yards. If you get bonus points for return TDs, he has potential there, too. The Bills secondary is among the better units in the league. The Bills allowed only four receptions for 51 yards and a TD to the Patriots receivers last week, so as the No. 3 receiver Welker isn’t a safe bet to repeat his week one performance at all.
Tight End Prime Cut (Great matchup, strong sleeper)
- In Clark’s two games against Houston last year he produced a touchdown in both games - 3-51-1 and 2-18-1. In 2004, Clark had 102 yards on three catches with 2 TDs against the Texans. Clark scored a TD in the season opener on three catches for 39 yards. With Brandon Stokley inactive last week and not 100% this week, look for Clark to continue to get more looks from Manning.
- Honestly, Winslow isn’t a true sleeper, especially after coming out of the gate strong with eight catches, 63 yards and a TD. Joe Jurevicius is out 4-to-6 weeks and Braylon Edwards isn’t quite 100% yet. Tony Gonzalez fared well against the Bengals last week with 10 catches for 81 yards and a TD, despite losing Trent Green, so Winslow is shaping up as a strong play this week – and probably for the rest of the season. Worth a Gamble (Good matchup, solid sleeper)
- Just like a year ago, Baker started the season with a strong effort. We hope this year he stays healthy and continues to produce. Last year, he ended up getting hurt and missing most of the season. Against the Patriots, Baker should be active once again and he’s probably someone you could pluck off the waiver wire and play. It’s not a strong matchup per se, but Baker is a good athlete who Pennington seems to trust. He was targeted four times in the opener (he caught all four – one for a TD).
- Clark had a strong game against the Packers and he faces a Lions defense that is both young and injury-depleted. Clark was targeted 8 times last week catching 5 balls for 77 yards. While he hasn’t been productive in the past few years, much of his problems could easily be attributed to the Bears woeful quarterback situation. That has improved this year (so far). It’s not usually a good idea to “chase stats” from the prior week, but there’s enough here to suggest that Clark could carry this forward and be a decent surprise as long as the Bears continue getting good play from Rex Grossman (and Brian Griese if Grossman goes down). Solid Reach (backup / situational player with upside)
- The Packers allowed five receptions for 77 yards to the Bears Desmond Clark last week. Conwell didn’t even catch a pass last week. Obviously, starting Conwell is a major reach, but when healthy he’s been productive in stretches in the past. The Packers have some young backers and a defense that has much to prove after last week’s debacle. Let’s see if Drew Brees goes to him at all this week. If you're desperate (worth a look in deeper leagues)
- See Dallas Clark above. Utecht was targeted five times last week catching
three for 21 yards and the Colts have been successful with Clark scoring in
three of their last four games against Houston. With Stokley still
recovering from a pre-season injury, Utecht and Clark are seeing a lot more
action as the team uses more 2-TE sets. |
|
|
Site Map | Contact
Us | Login
/ Signup
©Copyright Footballguys.com 2003, All rights reserved. |